Apparatus and method of graveling wells



Dec. 3, 1940. L, A. LAYNE APPARATUS AND METHOD OF emvsnme WELLS FiledSept. 30, 1938 Z r 3 00 3 7 5 2 m K 5 m 7 8 n NMWWMMWMWWWQQ I g W; 4% 0w 3 7 7 I 4 ll 4 5 5 Y 7. A 2 Pl INVENTQR ATTO NEYS.

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Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,223,374 APPARATUS AND METHOD OFGRAVELING WELLS Leslie A.

Texas Company,

Layne, Houston, Tex., assignor to The a corporation of DelawareApplication September 30, 1938, Serial No. 232,536

8 Claims.

\ The invention relates to a. means and method for gravel packing wellsby disposing a body of gravel in the well bore where the gravel is to beconfined against migration into the formation and where the well issealed so that the fiow is directed through the gravel pack.

The present application relates to somewhat the similar subject matteras that disclosed in my prior co-pending application 181,855 filedDecember 27, 1937, for a Means and method for graveling wells.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a permanentequipment for the well wherein perforated liner is positioned at theelevation of the producing formation and sealed in place so as toreceive a deposit of gravel.

Still another object is to provide in combination a liner and wellbottom assembly with a body of gravel confined therebetween.

9 Still another object of the invention is to provide a means and methodfor introducing gravel into a well bore by circulating a carrier liquidinto and out of the well. 7

Other and further objects of the invention will i be readily apparentwhen the following description is considered in connection with theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

The figure shows a diagrammatic arrangement of a well bore beinggraveled with certain parts shown in section.

In the figure the well bore 2 has been drilled and a casing 3 extendsdownwardly into the well bore to a point 4 adjacent the top of aproductive formation 5. This casing 3 may or may not be cemented inposition.

The well bore has been extended into the producing formation and a liner1 of large diameter has been inserted into the well bore. This liner mayhave had the perforations or slots 8 therein at the time it wasintroduced into the I well bore or these openings 8 could have beenformed after the liner was set by a suitable perforating operation. Thetop of the liner carries a packer In which has been expanded to form aseal with the inside of the lower end of the casing 3. In this manner,the well bore is sealed against the introduction of foreign materialsfrom the well except those which may enter through the openings 8. Thelower end 12 of the liner is preferably seated upon the bottom of thewell bore.

A well bottom assembly 15 is shown as having been lowered through thecasing 3 and the liner 1 so that the set shoe 16 thereof is adjacent thebottom of the well. The screen or strainer l3 surmounts the shoe and thesetting or production string H, as the case may be, extends to thesurface and preferably passes through the casing head l8 and iscontrolled by a'valve Hi.

The casing head l8 has the flow line connections 20 thereon and adischarge line 2| may be connected to one of these outlets, which lineis closed by a valve 22.

The other connection 20 may have the pipe 25 connected thereto whichpipe is the discharge from thegraveling apparatusindicated generally at26. This apparatus may be of any desired type and usually includes apump 21 which picks up a fiow of liquid through the suction pipe 28 anddischarges it intothe transfer pipe 29. One branch 30 of this pipeenters the gravel drum 3| l6 and is operated by a valve 32. a

A valve 33 in the transfer pipe 29 determines the proportion of the flowwhich may be directed through the gravel drum. A discharge pipe oroutlet 34 from the gravel drum is controlled by a a valve 35 and joinsthe transfer pipe 29 to form the pipe through which either the liquid orgravel and liquid may be forced into the well casing.

A seal 40 may be provided around the produc- 25 tion or setting stringI! so that any pressure in the well may be confined, and in this mannera suitable pressure from the pump 21 may be used to introduce the gravelinto the well in spite of any pressure there may be present in the well.The flow of gravel and carrier liquid will enter the casing 3 and ifdesired the flow line 2| may be opened to allow a discharge of thecarrier liquid but the reduction in the rate of flow as the carrierliquid enters the casing 3 will allow the gravel to settle out and fallinto the well bore as indicated by the particles 42. On the other hand,if it is desired to discharge the carrier liquid through the screen I3and the production string H, the valve 22 may be closed and the valve l9opened. In this manner the carrier liquid will flow downward through thecasing 3 and the liner 1 to the elevation of the screen l3.

If desired the discharge liquid may be partially through the flow line2| and partially through the production string ll. The body of gravel 45may be accumulated to any desired elevation inside of the liner 1 but atest as to whether or not the gravel covered the strainer l3 can be madeby closing the valve 22. If the strainer is covered by gravel, naturallythere will be an increase in pressure because there will be no escapefor the liquid except that which can be forced through the graveldeposit 45.

With this particular type of construction any desired amount of gravelcan be deposited in the well above the strainer I 3.

Broadly, the invention contemplates a liner to be setin a well bore toconfine the gravel and to assist in forming a gravel pack in the wellbore.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of depositing and retaining gravel filters in well borescomprising the stepsof inserting a relatively coarse rigid tubularstrainer or screen member in the well bore adjacent the productiveformation, inserting a second strainor or screen .in said firststrainer, said second strainer being of a gauge to exclude thesand ofthe producing formation, and circulating a filter of gravel or similarmaterial into said first strainer and around said second strainer.

2. A method of completing awell comprisingv ducing formation,positioning pipe at the elevation of the producing formation, which pipeis provided With openings therethrough, setting a screen within saidpipe, washing the well,

' and depositing gravel around said screen and within said pipe so thatthe gravel is confined against migration into the formation,the'introduction of the gravel being by means of a carrier liquid pumpedinto the well casing under pressure.

4. A method of completing a well comprising 40 casing the well bore tosubstantially. the pro.-

ducing formation, positioning a perforated pipe at the elevation of theproducing formation, setting a screen within said pipe, washing thewell, and sealing the pipe with the casing to exclude an inflow from theformation except through the deposit of gravel.

5. A well equipment assembly comprising a casing, a casing head thereon,flow. line connections on said head, a perforated liner pipe extendinginto the producing formation from the bottom of said casing, a packersealing said liner and casing, a well bottom assembly in said liner, anda body of gravel within said liner and about said well bottom.

6. A well assembly including a string ,of pipe 5 in the well, a casinghead thereon, a pair of flow lines connected to said head, a perforatearea in said pipe, a well bottom assembly in said pipe, means to directa stream of carrier liquid and gravel into one of said flow lines, saidother flow Z line connection being adapted to discharge the carrierliquid as the gravel settles in the well bore.

7. A well assembly including a string of pipe in the well, a casing headthereon, a plurality of flow. lines connected to said head, a perforatearea in saidpipe a well bottom assembly in said pipe, means. to directastream of carrier liquid and gravel into one'of said flow. lines, saidother flow line connection being adapted to remain closed and thecarrier liquid to return to the surface through the well .bottomassembly.

8. The combination of a well casing, a strainer string therein, aremovable strainer in said string disposed entirely Withinsaid casing,and means to form a filter of divided material in the annular spacearound in said casing;

I LESLIE A. LAYNE.

said strainer and with-

